Virgin Group founder Richard Branson has joined such prominent Western business leaders as technology investor Steve Case and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in backing away from projects with Saudi Arabia after the disappearance and alleged killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Turkish officials reportedly have told the U.S. government that they have audio and video recordings proving the Washington Post columnist and dissident was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul this month. The alleged slaying threatens to derail efforts by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to portray Saudi Arabia as a more open and tolerant place to visit, invest in and do business. Donald Trump reluctant to halt arms sales to Saudis over alleged assassination New video shows purported Saudi “assassination squad” in Turkey The 33-year-old crown prince hopes to grow his country’s $500 billion sovereign wealth fund — pounded by falling oil prices earlier this decade — into a $2 trillion global investment fund over the next dozen years. Branson said he is suspending his work overseeing two Saudi tourism projects as well as talks with the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund about possible investments in his space ventures Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit. Branson wrote Thursday in a blog post: I had high hopes for the current government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and it is why I was delighted to accept two directorships in the tourism projects around the Red Sea. I felt that I could give practical development… [Read full story]